For the transfer of these layers, the layer side of a corresponding medium is brought into contact with a receiving material and the layer is transferred from the substrate to the receiving material by the action of heat. To facilitate the separation of the layer from the substrate, a release layer is usually inserted between the substrate and the layer to be transferred.
EP-A 658 444 describes a medium which contains a substrate, a release layer applied thereon and containing at least 50% by weight of a polyethylene wax having a melting point of at least 100.degree. C. and, thereon, a further heat-fusible layer which contains a dye and a binder, the binder comprising at least 50% by weight of carnauba wax.
It is known that carnauba wax is understood, for example according to Rompp Chemie Lexikon, 9th edition, Georg Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart-New York, 1989, page 594, as meaning a vegetable wax having a melting point of from 83 to 86.degree. C.
However, such media do not have satisfactory abrasion resistance on the side of the layer to be transferred. Moreover, mixtures of the components of the release layer with the components of the layer to be transferred lead to unsatisfactory results on the receiving material during the thermal transfer process. In addition, with the media described, an orientation of pigments achieved during the production of the layer to be transferred as is desired in particular in the case of pigments having anisotropic properties, in particular ferromagnetic pigments, cannot be maintained during the transfer of the layer.